Speed-regulator for explosive-engines.



Patented May 20, I902.

No. 700,40l.

B.,A. BEILFUSS. SPEED REGULATOR FUR EXPLDSIVE ENGINES.

- (Application filed July 15, 1901.)

2 Sheets- Sheet I.

(No Model.)

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n0. 700,401. 0 Patented ma -20, I902. R. A. r. azuruss. SPEEDBEGULATUR FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

(Application filed July 15, 1901.) I

2 She0ts-Sh00t 2.

(No Model.)

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ill teracy I THE Npflms PETERS-120., PNOTQLITHQFWASHINGTON, o. c.

UNITED STATES 'ATENT- OFFICE.

RICHARD A. BEILFUSS,OF LANSING 'MIOHIGAN SPEED-REGULATOR FOR EXPLCiSiVE-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Iatent IiTo. 700,401, dated May 20, 1902.

Application filed July 16,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD A. F. BEIL- FUSS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lansing, in the county of Ingham and State ofMichigan, have inventednew and use ful Improvements in S peed-Regulators for Engines, of which the following is a specification.

7 This invention relates to speed-regulators for engines, and while especially designed for. use in connection with gas or vapor engines and described in connection with suchtype of engine it will be apparent as the description proceeds that the speed-regnlatingdevice hereinafter described may be associated with the exhaust-valve of any type of eninvention is designed to operate automatically when the speed of the engine becomes excessive, so that without any attention on the part of the operator or attendant the speed of the engine will be reduced and governed, thus rendering the engine safe and preventing the accumulation of successive charges of gas or vapor and the explosion of the same within the engine-cylinder. V

With the above general objects in view the invention consists in a speed-regulating device for engines embodying certain novel features and details of construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated, and claimed; 7

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an elevation of an engine, showing the exhaust and suction valve casings in section to better illustrate the working of the speed regulating device. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same, takenin line with the stems of the exhaust and suction valves.

Like numerals of reference designate like parts in both views.

The speed-regulator contemplated in this invention is for the sakeof illustration shown applied to a gas or vapor engine the construction of which is identical with that disclosed in a companion application for patent, and it willnot be necessary, therefore, to describe the engine herein'further than to give a general idea of the same.

The engine is mounted and supportedupon a suitable base 1 and comprises a cylinderframe 2, carrying the engine-cylinder 3, in

Serial ItTo. 68,390. (No model.)

which mounted a reciprocatory piston-head 4, associated, by means of a connecting-rod 5, with the crank-shaft 6, shown equipped with the fly or balance wheels 7, the piston-head,

(indicated at 8,) the same being placed in 1 communicationwith a laterally-arranged ignition-chamber 9 by means of a passage-way 10. Above the ignition-chamber 9 is the suc tion-valve casing 11,in which operates the suction-valve 12, while atthe opposite or lower side of the ignition-chamber is the exhaustchamber '13, in which works the exhaust valvel tt 7 The exhaust-valve 14 is mounted upon the exhaust-valve, stem 15, the same being slidablyand rotatably mounted in a bearing16 I at the lower end of the exhaust-chamber and in a bearing-sleeve 17, connected with an arm 18 of a bracket 19, connected to.,the cylinder or cylinder-frame. The stem l5'is also provided at its upperend within the ignitionchamber with a sparker or igniter 20, consisting of a metallic arm which under the oscillatory movement of the stem 15, is adapted to be moved into and out of contact Withthe other member of the igniting device, which consistsof the inner terminalof' a bindingpost. 21, with which an electrical conductor 22 connects. The sparker or ighiter is of'the ordinary make-and-break type and serves to ignite the gas contained within the ignition'-.

chamber, passage-way, 10, and explosion or combustion chamber 8 of the cylinder. The

exhaust-valve 14: is normally held seated and is restored to its seat by means of a coilspring 23, which encircles the stem 15 below the exhaust-valve casing.- One end of said sprin g surrounds ahollow boss on the casing 13, which constitutes the bearing 16, above referred to, while the opposite end of the spring is seated against a collar 24, adjustable longitudinally on the stem'l5 by means of a set-screw 25, thereby enabling thetension of the spring to be adjusted. The spring 23 not only acts as an expansive spring for normally closing the exhaust valve, but-itoperates with a torsional action, so that when the cam-like projection 40 has struck and passed the spring-arm 39 it will turn the igniter member 20 out of contact with the hinding-post 38, thereby making and breaking the electrical contact.

The stem 15 is provided at a suitable point with a laterally-projecting pin or stop 26, which operates in a notch 27 in the sleeve 17, above described, said notch being of sufficient width or size to admit of the necessary amount of oscillatory or axial turning movement of the stem 15 to throw the igniter members into and out of contact.

At its lower end the stem 15 is provided with a broad foot 28, having a sleeve or hub portion 29, which is threaded to screw upon the lower end of the stem 15, the foot being locked against turning and working loose by means of a jam-nut 30.

In order to impart the requisite reciprocatory movement to the stem 15, the crankshaft 6 is provided with a spur-pinion 31, which meshes with a spur gear-wheel 32, having twice as many teeth as the pinion 31, so that two revolutions of the crank-shaft are required to impart one revolution to the wheel 32. The last-named wheel is mounted fast on one end of a hub-sleeve 33, which also has rigidly connected therewith a collar 3t, capable of being adjusted to the proper position and relation to the other parts by means of a binding-screw The sleeve 33, together with the wheel 32 and collar 3%,is journaled on a stud-shaft 86, carried by the bracket 19, and the wheel is provided with a wrist-pin 37, encircled by an antifriction-roller 38, which is adapted once in each revolution of the wheel 32 to come in contact with the foot 28, lifting the latter and imparting an upward movement to the stem 15, which is subsequently retracted or moved downward by means of the spring 23, above described, the downward movement of the stem being limited by the exhaust-valve 14 and its seat. It will thus be seen that the exhaust-valve is unseated but once in every two revolutions of the crank-shaft, the engine thus being of what is known as the four-cycle type.

The mechanism for imparting the necessary oscillatorymovement to the stem 15 comprises a spring-arm 39, which is carried by the lower end of the stem 15, being preferably connected with the foot 28. Said arm is operated upon once in each revolution of the wheel 32 by means of a cam-like projection on the collar 34:, said projection striking against the arm 39 and moving the latter far enough to throw the igniter member 20 into contact with the binding-post 21, thus making and breaking the electrical circuit in which the igniter members are included and exploding the charge of gas or Vapor contained within the cylinder. The spring 23, as previously stated, acts to restore the igniter members to their normal positions.

The speed-regulating device proper comprises,essentially, a pair of pivotally-mounted segments 41, each approximately of semicircular shape, the said segments being pivotally connected at their adjacent ends to a bracket or lug 42, extending radially outward from the hub of one of the balance-wheels 7. At

their opposite or free ends the segments 41 are connected by means of a yoke-spring 43, so as to resist the movement of said segments apart. At their pivotal ends one of the segments is provided with a projecting shoulder 44:, which engages with and is engaged by a lip 45 on the other segment, so that as one segment is thrown outward eentrifugallya like and corresponding movement is imparted to the other segment. Both segments thus move equally outward or inward and act with equal eitect upon the curved extension 46 of a rocker-arm 47, which is fulcrumed intermediate its ends upon the stud-shaft 36, hereinabove described, the roeker-arm being for that purpose provided with a bearing 48, which encircles said stud-shaft, the bearing being indicated in dottedlines in Fig. 2. The opposite or upper end of the rocker-arm 47 is provided with a catch 49, which is designed to be moved toward and away from the stem 15, so as to engage beneath a governor-catch 50, carried by the stem 15 and preferably in the form of a collar or flange encircling the stem and located, preferably, beneath the bearing-sleeve17, as clearly illus trated in both figures. The governor-catch 50 is also preferably made adjustable on the stem 15 by means of a binding-screw 51. The balance-wheel 7 also carries a governor-arm 52, which is pivotally connected at one end at 53 with the wheel and provided at its opposite end with a suitable weight 5 L. The arm 52 is connected, by means of a pivotal link 55, with one of the segments 41, so that the outward movement of the weighted governorarm 52 under the influence of centrifugal force will operate upon one of the segments to move the latter outward, the latter in turn acting upon the other segment to move the same in a corresponding direction. In order to regulate the action of the governor-arm 52, the free end thereof is connected to a resistance-spring 56, said spring having its opposite end connected with a tension-bolt 57, which passes through a lug 58, carried by the wheel 7, and is adjustable by means of a thumb-nut 59. The tension device is thus made adjustable, so as to regulate the amount of force which is necessary to hold open the exhaust-valve, the force being in proportion to the speed of the crank-shaft of the engine.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that when the rotation of the crank-shaft becomes too rapid the governor-arm 52, moving outward by centrifugal action, throws the segments 41 outward, causing them to operate against the curved extension 46 of the rocker-arm, with the result that the catch 49 on the rocker-arm is moved into the path of the reciprocating governor-catch 50. As this must occur while the exhaust-valve is unseated, when the two catches are in engagement the exhaust-valveis held open'and the piston-head is relieved from thefreguencyof v the gas or vaporiexplosionm As soonras the speed of the crank-shaft decreases sufficiently the segments 41 move inward, andfthe catch '49 is moved out of engagement wit-lithe govi ernor-catch 50, 'thus allowing the exhaust- 1 valve to seatitselflwhereupon the subsequent explosions of gasin the cylinder will drive the piston-head, and theehgine will continue or resume its operatioin The speed-regulating device istherefore entirely automatic'inop eration, requiring'no attention'on the part of the engineer. Moreover, by adjusting the tension device by means of, the thumb-nut 59 the speed at'which the crankshaft-must ro tate in order tothrow the exhaust-valve nnseatingdevice into operation may be gov- ,erned.

' is susceptible of changes in the form, propor It will be apparentthatthe speed-regulator tion, number, arrangement, and minor details of construction which may accordingly be resorted to without departing from the prinv cipleor sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

- Having thnsdescribed theinvention, What is claimed, and'desired'tobe secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an engine, the combination ith the exhaust-valve; of a stem for said valve carrying a member of an electrical igniting de-. vice, means for holding the valve normally v seated and also for holding-the members of the igniter in contact, mechanism forimparting a reciprocatory'and an oscillatory move;

ment to the vaIve-stetmand a governor operated by excessive speed of the crank-shaft.

of the engine for holdingthe valve unseated and renderingthe igniter inactive.

2. In an engine, the combination with the exhaust-valve and crank-shaft; of pivotallymounted segments rotatable with the crankshaft, a centrifugal governor-arm-for operating the segments, a rooker arm actuated by said segments, a catch carried by rocker-arm and another catch on the exhaust-va1ve stem withwhich the first-named catch is adapted to engage for holding theexhaust-valve open,

i 3; an engine, the combiniatio ntvvi th exhaust-valve,eXhaustevalvestemandfcrank i shaft; of; arcpairof 'segmentsfembra'cing'the'.f}..-; T.

crank-shaft and rotatabletherewith', said seg ments havingan interlockedengagementjwith 1 eacho'ther so as to cause them tojmov'e', simul- 5'5 1 l taneously outwardor inward, atcentr-ifuga lfl 'governor-armoperativelyconnecte'dwith one -i of the segments, a rocker -arm havingja fpo'r tion thereof arranged in the path of the stag:

ments, agcatch carried-by saidgovernc'ir -atii nn 6 o,' t and a governor-catch ada'ptedto cooperate 1" therewith and mounted ontheexhaust valve stem. 4. In an engine, the -combination with the exhaust-valve,exhaust;valvestem a'n'dcrank 651 v I shaft; 7 of semicircular segments qpivotally i mounted on and rotatable with the crank-;- shaft, said segments havingan' interlocked engagement at one side of the crank-shattand a yielding connection at. the opposite side'of- '7o'. 1

the'crank shaft, a centrifugal governor-arm. rotatable around the crank-shaft and opera tivelyconnected withone of the"s egmen ts,'a roclzeli-arm actuated by the segmentsjand carrying a catch, and a governor-catch ou-th'e; r

exhaust-valve stem adapted to cooperate with} the; catch on the rocker-arm.

' 5. In an engine, theoombination vviththeiexhaust-valve,exhaust-valvestem and crankshaft; of a pair of segmentsembracingthe 8o crank-shaft and rotatable therewith, said segv I ments being pivotally, mounted and having an interlocked engagement at one end, a yoke springyieldingly connectinglthe oppo ite ends of thesegments, a rocker-armhavinga portion thereof-arranged in the path of theses; m ts, catch o i am, ve a c v cooperating therewith and, carriedbythe ex i h'austyalvestem, a governor-arm aresistance= r spring associated with thegoVernor-arm, and i o 1 meansforadjustin'gthe tension of said'spring} In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

Witnesses: V I

LOUIS J QABLS, WM. A. FRASER. 

